Music (Colourstrings, Tommy Keane)

Rory Mc

03-Bealtaine-17

Tin Whistle with Tommy Keane

Children in Rang 2 have the option this year to begin tin whistle classes with Tommy Keane.

Tommy has been teaching tin whistle in Scoil Mhuire for nearly 20 years. These classes enable to children to contribute to the musical aspects of school activities eg St. Patrick’s Day, Seachtain na Gaeilge, Communion, Confirmation, Christmas etc. The classes are run under the auspices of An Gaelacadamh who are based in An Spidéal and promote Irish music, dance and singing.

The classes take place during school hours every Wednesday and the fees for a ten week term are €35 per child. (Family discount: €60 for 2 children & €80 for 3).

The classes will begin on Wednesday 13th September and a tin whistle in the key of D is required.

If interested please pay the appropriate fees to Tommy Keane - making any cheques payable to “An Gaelacadamh” – not to Tommy or the school. Children only have the option to join these classes at the beginning of the year in Rang 2.

Colourstrings

We are very fortunate to be one of the few schools in county Galway to have access to the Colourstrings Programme in our school. All children from Junior Infants to Sixth Class can avail of Colourstrings as part of their music education. We are very fortunate to have the same amazingly talented teachers again this year. Hazel & Ciara!

In Scoil Mhuire, we are very fortunate to have Colourstrings music classes catering for all the children in the school.They are being run in conjunction with Maoin Cheoil na Gaillimhe, the Galway Music Partnership and the Galway Education Centre. Colourstrings aims to develop early music literacy through the medium of Gaeilge/ Irish, songs, music and movement.

We have two Colourstrings teachers coming to Scoil Mhuire, Hazel and Ciara, who are accompliced musicians. Both teachers teach in Maoin Cheoil na Gaillimhe in Scoil Chroí Íosa, during the week also.

This year is also the first year we have children from Junior Infants to Sixth Class accessing the Colourstrings classes.·Children can enjoy playful, yet progressive, child-friendly, multi- sensory activities using puppets, fairy tales, pictures and instruments.·Children develop core music skills and become musically literate.·Each week children have fun; singing, dancing, pretending, exploring instruments, and socializing.·Classes are taught in age specific groups in a non-performance learning environment.·The colourful materials entice the children to embark on musical adventures and ensure a seamless continuity between home, class and future instrumental lessons.

Children are encouraged to perform, compose and improvise while also reading and writing musical notation.Colourstrings is child-centred. The materials are colourful, stimulating and entice children to embark on musical adventures that will enable each of them to fulfil their musical potential through fun and creativity, without pressure. It is an extension of the Kodály philosophy: everything starts with singing to develop inner hearing.

Colourstrings, in conjunction with Maoin Cheoil na Gaillimhe, was the first to offer music education from a very young age in Galway and Dublin and is the only approach that can be used all the way up to conservatoire level. In Finland it has been a core part of the state music education for more than thirty years and is now an internationally respected way of teaching music to children. Some other schools in Galway area have also introduced Colourstrings into their schools.SeptRoom15.jpg